MoDOT Plans to Smooth 5,600 Miles of Road

Rahn announced a plan to make roads already repaired under the Smooth Roads Initiative, plus 3,400 more miles of roads, smoother and safer by 2012.

"Better Roads, Brighter Future is the Smooth Roads Initiative on steroids," Rahn said. "We'll give them new stripes, brighter signs, some nice safety improvements, so five years from now when people are driving on these roads they're going to notice a big difference in how convenient, easy, and safe it is to drive on those highways," MoDOT spokesman Jeff Briggs said.

Officials said the more they fix the roads, the less drivers will have to fix their cars. MoDOT estimates the average Missouri driver will save $275 a year in car maintenance.

Driver Ryan Rhode said he likes the idea of having extra cash in his pocket and the road improvements already made.

"They've really touched up on things. When you drive down 70, they have the cable. It's safer," Rhode said.

Rahn said he hopes drivers will also notice the $1.1 billion worth of improvements over the next five years. MoDOT officials said 95 percent of Missouri residents live within 10 miles of the roads covered in the plan.